So, today’s the big day that the Lawrence Arms (that’s my band) DVD entitled An Evening of Extraordinary Circumstance comes out. The DVD chronicles the hour and a half or so that we spent almost three years ago celebrating our ten-year anniversary. We gave out some free records, we gave out some shirts, we made handscreened posters for the occasion and we played something in the neighborhood of 33 songs. It was a pretty great time; in fact, it was one of the best nights I’ve ever had. People travelled from all over the world and the whole experience was as humbling as it was life affirming. The DVD, which was shot by a very pro 6 person camera team, directed and edited by the extremely talented Travis Brooks and mixed by the incomparably gorgeous Matt Allison looks and sounds great and I’m pretty sure that we did an okay job that night and I’m equally pretty sure that we did a decent job with the audio commentary, though I haven’t listened to it since we did it.

In fact, though I’ve watched the whole thing in pieces, I find it very uncomfortable to watch video of myself playing live. Lots of it has to do with the gross way that I have to kind of stick my ass out and sweat and turn red and swollen in order to perform in the Lawrence Arms and part of it’s just good old fashioned “uh, I can’t watch myself for that long. It’s weird.” I’m pretty critical of the live shows in general and my voice specifically, and live shows are always a visceral experience that I’d rather not relive from a sterile outside perspective. What is awesome in the moment is not always awesome to watch or hear yourself doing once your endorphins and adrenaline aren’t going nuts. That’s why all the creepy things that you utter during sex seem so perfect at the time, but when you watch the video you’re like “did I really just ask you if you ‘love the way I chug your big, veiny king kong dreamsicle?’ How embarrassing.” It’s kind of the same thing when I watch myself perform. That said, of course I had to watch this to make sure things were up to the exacting standards of the scientists in the team Lawrence Arms laboratories, and thankfully, things are, so in conclusion, go get the DVD. It’s awesome.

I’ve said before, and I’ll say again that we are currently working on a new record. Things have slowed a bit due to some other commitments over the last couple of weeks, but we’re all stoked to get back to cranking out songs with the reckless abandon of a toddler drunkenly wiping his ass, and hopefully by the time we’re done, a few of them will even be passable as background music while you replace your sparkplugs or whatever.

Make no mistake, in the next few weeks or months you will hear news regarding this band that will make you go “ah shit, they’re breaking up!” and “Oh man, how are they gonna still put out a record?” but ignore those stupid thoughts and remember that I told you that you would have them. We have talked through all of the awesome and exciting opportunities that are afoot here at team TLA and we still plan on delivering not only a record, but also some shows for those of you lucky enough to live in the cities in the world that we want to go to. Overall, it’s a very exciting time for folks, and I’d tell you what it all was, but unfortunately for me, I’m just gonna be here in Chicago doing the same old bullshit I’ve always done, and as such, I’m not really at liberty to discuss any of the sweaty details. That said, as a lot of you know, I’ll be doing a solo tour of the northern lowlands and central uplands of Europe as well as the UK with my good buddy Dan Andriano and I think it’s safe to say that we’re gonna rock your dicks/vaginas right off your bodies and onto the floor where they’ll mingle with the other dicks/vaginas on the floor and maybe even wind up falling in love, so get ready for that.

What else?

Last night as I was laying in bed, I realized that I’m older than Randy Johnson was when he was really kicking ass and for some reason I’ve never felt so ridiculously ancient. Sigh.

Got the dvd yestrrday. Its really really good. If we get only one more lawrence arms album, i can live with that. Thanks brendan for all the great albums iv listened to from theu time i was 18 to now at age 33. Your music has been an awesome constant in my life.

Got the DVD a week or so ago. Amazing set. I hardly remembered it since I got just SOOOOO drunk. Caught the first half of the commentary. I think you mentioned the people listening as being crusty-dicked and hands filled with Cheetos crumbs and I decided to go outside and actually do something (or smoke a cigarette while my dog took a piss in the backyard). Like it so far though.

a good friend of mine got the DVD the other day, all he’s talked about is how awesome it is, but more importantly he’s been going on about the t-shirts (0/1) that you and Chris are wearing. he’s bet me $100 to find him one of these shirts. any idea where i could get one? i want to win this bet.

I have the exact same shirt, but in green. I remember getting it from Strange Cargo, in Chicago (not too far from where the 10th Anniversary show was held). The shirt is 15 bucks. So, you stand to make a decent profit.

That is great to hear there’s more TLA on the way. The DVD is awesome! I’ve watched everything, including the commentary, but still can’t find the “hidden Easter egg” of the first show on there. Anyone know how to access this feature? And I didn’t get a beer cozy with my copy. Fucking interpunk bastards!